Provided are a method and apparatus for managing a session in a wireless communication system. The method includes identifying a session management module with a failure from among a plurality of session management modules that each manage at least one session; determining a substitute module that replaces the session management module with the failure; obtaining, from a control plane entity, information about at least one session managed by the session management module with the failure; and controlling the substitute module to manage the at least one session, based on the obtained information about the at least one session.